Poema

An apprenticeship in the art and craft of spiritual direction

Each spiritual journey is unique; your spiritual direction training should be too.

Poema’s spiritual direction training program blends group learning with a tailored approach to help you find your voice and gifting as a spiritual director. And it allows you to start anytime!

Our Unique Approach

We are Christ-centered and biblically grounded.

Our apprenticeship is aimed at helping you to accompany others in encountering the fullness of Christ. We approach spiritual direction from a biblically grounded and trinitarian foundation.

We take your formational experience into account.

Completed some kind of formational learning experience? Have a degree/pursing a degree in spiritual formation? Great! We’ll apply that as part of your training and create a pathway that fits you.

We help you develop your voice as a spiritual director through hands-on mentorship.

We want to help you discover who you are as a spiritual director. We’ll give you all the tools you need to offer this ministry well, and we’ll come alongside you as you learn your own voice and way of attending to the Spirit’s work in others. Each student is paired with a mentor that helps cultivate this learning experience.

We help you integrate your practice into your unique context.

Spiritual direction training will provide you with ministry skills that go well beyond a spiritual direction practice. We’ll learn your story, be with you as you discern what this training will mean for your own ministry context, and offer all the wisdom and support we can as you step into whatever the Lord is inviting you to do.

Program details

Poema is designed as an apprenticeship model with group interaction. We have a rolling enrollment and rotate through a series of training modules so that you can complete your training on your timeline. Each month, we gather for training and discussion around a particular topic or skill, group supervision, and sometimes practicing spiritual direction together. Poema meets the ESDA’s training standards, and once you complete our program, you’ll be eligible to join the ESDA as member.

Program Duration

Individualized, but on average, 24 months

We’ll work with you to make a plan that fits your season, previous education, and experience. Your apprenticeship may be shorter than 24 months, based upon prior experience.

Meeting and Training Rhythms

Poema apprentices will spend about 15-20 hours/month on our program through monthly training meetings, monthly check-ins with a mentor, receiving spiritual direction each month, practicing spiritual direction with 1-2 practice directees, and receiving monthly supervision (see below for a further description).

To meet the ESDA’s training standards, Poema apprentices will complete a minimum of 20 hours of practice spiritual direction and a minimum of 10 hours of supervision.

Monthly Training Meetings

Poema apprentices are expected to attend monthly training meetings. Meetings include, but are not limited to:

  • Training on specific topics, spiritual direction skills, and spiritual formation

  • Practicing spiritual direction together

  • Group supervision

Mentorship

Apprentices meet monthly for check-ins with an assigned spiritual direction mentor to track progress through the program, name key learnings, and talk about any questions or concerns around the practice of spiritual direction. Students are responsible for scheduling meetings with their mentor each month.

Receiving Spiritual Direction

Each apprentice is required to have a spiritual director and receive monthly spiritual direction themselves while in training. We prefer that you’ve experienced receiving spiritual direction prior to applying, but we don’t require it! We’re happy to help you find a spiritual director, if needed.

Practicing Spiritual Direction

Apprentices will find at least 2 people willing to be practice directees and meet for monthly spiritual direction, beginning within the first three months of training. Practice directees cannot be related to the student, and should not be close friends. (Don’t worry, we’ll help you find practice directees if needed!) All Poema apprentices are required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of offering spiritual direction, according to ESDA training standards.

Receiving Supervision

Supervision is one of the key components to training as a director and offers an opportunity to process your own experience of offering spiritual direction. This is a place to notice what came up in your own mind and heart, any triggers that arose, emotional and bodily responses, etc. Once training is completed, receiving regular supervision as a certified spiritual director is an industry standard. Our hope is that you enjoy supervision during Poema’s apprenticeship and cultivate a value for it in your own practice.

Apprentices will receive both individual and group supervision once they begin meeting with practice directees. Most months, apprentices will meet with a rotating member of the teaching team for individual supervision. All Poema apprentices are required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of supervision, according to ESDA training standards.

Assignments

  • Reading about one book per month, with a core list kept to a minimum and additional readings based on your interests (Ignatian spirituality, discernment, group direction, etc.) and your context (in a church, multicultural settings, private practice, etc).

  • Reading reflections

  • A personal formation plan and engagement in spiritual practices

  • Reflection forms for each practice session of spiritual direction

  • A spiritual direction handbook

  • A final project related to a topic of interest

Cost

$250/month

What you can expect

After completing Poema Spiritual Direction Apprenticeship, you can expect to:

  • Confidently and comfortably offer spiritual direction in your unique context

  • Join the ESDA

  • Join CURATE’s approved team of spiritual directors and be listed on our website

Meet the Team

  • Bryan Hehr

  • Dr. Jodi Hook

  • Lauri Dennis

  • Rachel Hehr

Apply!

Applications open May 2025. Stay tuned!

If you have questions or want to inquire further, send us a message! We’d love to connect, hear your story, and answer any questions.